I guess I need to prepare to roll around ten times more than last year.

After the long war ended, an era of peace arrived.

However, the international situation couldn’t be called good even in empty words.

The obsession with peace made people extremely avoid friction in the open, and thus leaders were engaging in all sorts of schemes and covert activities under the guise of peace to secure their own interests.

‘Amid invisible checks and balances running rampant, the Empire’s Sword is moving and a former staff member is detained… It can’t be called a good omen even in empty words.’

There are two possibilities that can be thought of immediately.

One is that the situation is so bad that they’re using a scapegoat instead of an idol as a means to control public sentiment, or they’re trying to draw out someone who will move by detaining the Marquis.

But if it’s the former, it means the overall public sentiment of the Empire’s people is in a serious state, and if it’s the latter, it means anti-imperialists are running rampant and breaking down public safety.

Either way, as a country that rules half the continent, it’s certainly not something Maris can welcome.

Especially since it might be the reason why the Empire’s Sword has set foot on this land.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind, Director Mariel.”

A voice is heard as she was feeling uneasy about these signs.

It was still from Grand Warrior Raika sitting opposite, but Mariel couldn’t bring herself to lighten her mood even at her words.

“…I can’t help it. I’m in a position to protect this place.”

All the more so because this isn’t the only thing she needs to worry about.

What the Emperor is thinking, what danger is so great that even the Empire’s Sword needs to step in.

And even more so because she doesn’t know when such danger will strike.

“On the other hand, Grand Warrior Raika, you seem very pleased.”

“Of course. Our long-cherished wish is to end our lives on the most noble battlefield… How could we step back when the right time to fulfill that wish has come!?”

The grand warrior of Valhalla revealing her fighting spirit while crossing her arms.

Probably an emotion she never showed even once during the era of war.

Because the fight they pursue is not just a slaughter where blood and flesh fly, but one premised on the certainty that honor can be achieved at its end.

“Director Mariel, as you know, our order serves the war god, but we think there was no glory in the war that lasted about half a century. In a fight where everyone hates each other for no reason, everyone is a victim, and there was nothing that could be clearly called evil.”

There was a time when such things existed, but at least when she took on the name of warrior, everything that her ancestors had emphasized had disappeared.

A situation where those who started the war had already retreated, and only their descendants were repeating the struggle without knowing the reason…

Feeling disillusioned by this, they decided to settle in this city and focus on maintaining public safety.

Because those who target this city, which everyone agreed to protect even during the war, would be defined as ‘evil’ going against the choice of the times.

“In such a situation, if forces threatening this place, which has emerged as a symbol of peace after the war ended, appear… Chewing their flesh and drinking their ground blood would surely be called honorable.”

“…That’s quite a brutal expression for pursuing righteousness.”

“It’s not an expression but a literal meaning, but I won’t force you to understand. Only those prepared to sacrifice themselves for glory head to Valhalla anyway.”

When the body and mind honed through fierce battles, and the soul governed by them, meet their end and ascend, if there is qualification in that soul, the path to heaven (Valhalla) can be opened.

The warriors of Valhalla, who absolutely believe this, always remind themselves that not everyone can pursue this belief.

The path to heaven must be special.

Only when they themselves, who have the qualifications befitting that, are special can they raise their pride.

‘They fight to the death for people they’ve never met just for that one special thing… Indeed, people with religion are difficult to understand.’

But while she might not empathize with their values, she was trying to respect their actions.

Whatever the reason, the blood they shed on behalf of others contributes to protecting the peace of this city, and further to the peace of the continent.

“I understand your feelings, but… Coincidentally, we’re also in a position where we need to be cautious, so I don’t think we can allow you to monopolize that struggle.”

“Of course we intend to share information. From the start, that was also included in the covenant our order made with this city.”

Yes, this current relationship is only because their purposes and interests align.

Without communication, they’d just be strangers in the end. Information sharing should be considered even more important when facing danger like now.

“But coincidentally, while we excel at perceiving danger, we’re quite poor at gathering information. At best, we’ve only gauged the strength of those we’ve directly clashed with or learned their names.”

“Even that is enough, so please tell me.”

Soon Mariel asked, interlocking her fingers in front of her.

“…What are the forces threatening this city?”

Raika said.

“Elder Fanatics.”

A name she had never heard of even in this city where all kinds of information from the continent gather.

Does that mean they’re hiding their own existence to that extent?

“They are cultists who worship the Great Old Beings.”

“…Great Old Beings?”

But the words that followed gave a strange sense of déjà vu.

Although she had never heard of it before, she couldn’t overlook the meaning of those words.

“Yes, that’s how they defined those they worship. They were few in number, but according to those who directly clashed with them, they had tenacious vitality that wouldn’t die even if vital points were cut.”

Mariel’s expression gradually hardened at the following explanation.

Not dying even when vital points are cut is surprising, but it’s not completely incomprehensible since the powers that cultists deal with are often abnormal to begin with.

The important thing is the name they defined themselves with.

‘Great.’

And Old Beings.

How long had it been since beings fitting these two words came to mind one by one, only to be erased by process of elimination?

-Shiver.

As soon as one answer came out at the end of that speculation, a chill began to run down her spine.

So much so that she didn’t even have the leisure to wipe away the cold sweat flowing from her forehead.

“Director Mariel?”

“Let’s end our conversation here. If everything we just discussed is true, it seems we both have a lot to prepare.”

After hurriedly wrapping up the conversation, Mariel left the director’s office first and began walking quickly through the school.

Teachers she met in the hallway greeted her, but Mariel just kept moving without giving them a glance.

‘I think I understand why the Empire’s Sword is moving.’

Yes, because someone of that caliber wouldn’t move unless it was necessary.

If the ‘Old Being’ they worship is really the one she suspects, it can also explain why the Emperor urged her to come here.

To completely erase all traces left by the ‘culprit’ who provided the decisive opportunity for her to feel disillusioned with human existence itself after being treated as cursed during the half-century long war…

“What to do, even Grandfather probably never had to deal with the Empire’s Sword running wild…”

If that speculation is true, there was something else to worry about rather.

The commotion that those who will rampage to punish those forces will cause, more than the forces threatening this city…

If even a little of that leaks out, won’t it have a big impact on the school festival?

“…I guess I need to prepare to roll around ten times more than last year.”

At the moment when her mind, which had become lax in peace, was tightened with tension.

A smile gradually etched on her lips as if putting on a bluff, as she concluded to handle this situation quietly as well.

And then…….

---

When the school festival was four days away.

As planned, I was preparing to leave my workplace temporarily and attend as a representative for the religious order meeting that Mariel had instructed.

The meeting was taking place at a public temple located at the farthest end of the academic city.

It’s mainly used when each order has meetings on common topics, and traces of cultures symbolizing each order were clearly visible in the street where the temple is located.

It felt like I had come to a tourist spot where you can experience all kinds of cultures just by walking through the streets.

As I was in a position to interfere with and coordinate the activities that each order would carry out after the meeting ended.

Since I would be staying here for a while, I thought it wouldn’t be bad to spend time as if on a tour if I had the chance, especially since I brought the children with me.

“Then I’ll be off to work, so take good care of the house.”

“Have a safe trip!”

After Dale’s energetic send-off, I left the lodgings and prepared to head to the meeting place with the Saint who was waiting at the entrance.

I’m a bit worried about leaving the children alone, but well, it should be fine.

In the case of Maki and Ratel, they can be controlled somehow with Dale’s ability, and external dangers will be blocked somehow by Heide’s knights stationed nearby.

“Thank you for providing lodgings for the children to stay.”

“No, it’s nothing… Rather, since our order joined Maris from this year, we were in a state where we couldn’t grasp how to proceed with the meeting, but when we heard that you would be backing us up, we felt considerably relieved.”

“I’m the one who’s grateful. This meeting is quite different from usual with many unfamiliar aspects, so it’s a great comfort that one of the representatives of the participating orders is you, Saint.”

It wasn’t just a polite remark.

Events where many people gather, like the school festival, are considered very important by religious orders, and as such, competition to secure as much share as possible in the meeting will inevitably intensify.

In such a situation, with two of the orders originally scheduled to attend dropping out, it’s clear that the remaining two orders will heat up the meeting trying to take advantage of this opportunity and push forward.

Given that I was preparing myself for that, how could I not feel comforted by the Saint keeping those two forces in check?

‘That said, I didn’t expect Valhalla to be excluded in addition to Lagrid.’

I can understand Lagrid’s circumstances, but in Valhalla’s case…

Unlike other orders, they find faith through combat, but because they have a more rational outlook, they tend to value opportunities for evangelism more preciously than other orders.

Yet even they are planning to have all members absent.

For me who understands their characteristics, I couldn’t help but be more concerned about why they were absent from the meeting rather than how the meeting would go.

What could be more important to those who serve the war god than evangelism? Isn’t it something that would be particularly sensitive in times of peace?

“Is there something worrying you?”

The Saint carefully asked, perhaps noticing my concern.

As I pondered how to answer that question, I just brushed it off with a smile as usual and continued on my way.

“There are always worries. Just now, my head feels like it’s going to split trying to figure out how to persuade the two orders…”

Yes, whatever happens, nothing should harm the school festival.

This city is the focus of the entire continent, and as such, the defenses to protect the city are thoroughly in place.

Whatever happens, everything will end up fine, I forcefully organized my thoughts like that and entered the temple for the meeting with a light heart.

---

And, just before returning to the lodgings after the meeting ended.

-Crash!

The moment the sound of breaking glass rang out.

My footsteps, about to enter the building, stopped in place, and hastily moved towards where the sound came from.

The window of the lodgings where the children were staying.

Something that broke through it and bounced out soon fell at my feet with a thud.

“No way…”

Something happened.

At the moment when the anxiety felt throughout the meeting made my heart sink, I looked down at something that had flown to my feet after breaking through the window.

With pale skin and powerless eyes.

The head of a girl rolling there, making eye contact with me.